Like a Korean Drama: Season 2
by amythist7
Summary: AU. The boys are rich and the girls are poor. Brick has fallen for the girl he hates, but can she forgive him for all he's done? Buttercup has come too far to give up, will pretending to be a boy ruin her life forever? Bubbles will finally get to be with Boomer, but in a way she never imagined.
1. Anything to Find Her

**A/N**: Season 2 is finally here. Based on three different dramas: _Baker King Kim Tak Goo, Playful Kiss, and You're Beautiful_. Even more drama than the last season!

Didn't read the first season? Here is a summary. (But you should probably read it)

There are no powers in this universe. The RRB are rich and the PPG are poor. Blossom gets a full scholarship to her dream private school for the rich. When she gets there, she can't help but notice the injustice going on. Brick and his brothers give red cards to students; these students are then tortured by the whole school until they eventually drop out. Seeing this, Blossom kicks Brick in the face. Brick gives her a red card, starting her torture. Blossom won't drop out easily. Through Brick's constant monitoring of her, he eventually falls for the girl he hates, but he has competition.

Secretly, Blossom has been meeting a boy on the roof for lunch. She eventually finds out this boy is Boomer and she falls for him. Unfortunately, Bubbles also has a crush on Boomer. They used to play together when they were young, but lost contact when Bubbles turned eight, the same day her mother died. Because of her disappearance from his life, Boomer is stuck between loving Bubbles and hating her. He eventually decides to make her his friend.

Buttercup helps an unknown boy in a fight, but gets stabbed. Butch pays her hospital bills, but Buttercup refuses to be in debt to him. Believing she is a boy, he offers her a job for a guy. Buttercup doesn't see any other option and accepts the job. Working closely with Buttercup, Butch eventually starts to develop feelings for her, even though he believes her to be a boy. After an internal battle, Butch decides that he likes Buttercup too much to care that she's a boy. They start dating. Buttercup struggles with wanting to tell Butch the truth and needing to keep the job for her family. Eventually the truth comes out at the private school dance.

The last chapter…

Everyone, but Bubbles, goes to the dance. At the dance Brick watches Blossom while she enjoys her time with Boomer. Butch goes with Buttercup, but everything goes wrong when Ace decides to crash the dance with a gun. He takes the stage, using Buttercup as a hostage and forces her to reveal to Butch that she is a girl in front of everyone. Upset, Butch doesn't say another word to her.

While that is happening, Blossom gets a note from Brick to meet him by the pool. She is pushed into the pool after drinking drugged hot chocolate. Brick makes it in time to save her and almost confesses to her. Blossom still believes he hates her and refuses to accept his feelings.

Bubbles gets a ride to the dance with Butch and Buttercup. Outside of the dance she watches Boomer through the window. A man approaches her and tells her that she's not supposed to be there. Boomer comes outside, prepared to take her into the dance with him, but the man is no security guard and ends up kidnapping both Bubbles and Boomer.

* * *

"Bring back BC!" chanted the small crowd just outside the doors of the gym. Butch could hear their constant yelling in his office upstairs.

"This is the second day," Brick reminded his brother. He sat across from him in his large office, arms folded, clearly not pleased. "If they keep coming back the media will be all over this. End this, today."

"Gladly, as soon as you allow me to tell them why I fired her."

"You know we're legally prohibited from telling anyone the reason she was fired."

Butch raised his hands in exasperation. "Then I don't know what you expect me to do about this."

"Get BC to make them go away."

"That would involve, seeing her and speaking to her; two things I'm never going to do again."

Brick sighed. "It's been over a week, when are you going to get over it. You don't have to be confused anymore. You're not gay, last time I checked that was what you wanted."

Butch stood up. He hated talking about her and lately that was all he and Brick ever did. "She lied to me about everything; I didn't even know her name. Her job, Pete's Gym, the dance; all I did was sacrifice for her and she couldn't even tell me her name." Butch grabbed his coat. "Guess what bro; I'm not getting over it. I'm going on vacation; you can take care of things here for a while." Butch walked out the door.

"Butch! You can't just walk out. This is your job!" Brick yelled, but Butch was already gone.

…

Butch walked to the back of the building. There was a small pond back there that they were in the middle of cleaning up so they could utilize the view. For now it was a restricted area, a perfect place to think, or _not_ think about BC. Butch sat on the grass by the bank. The murky water reflected his morbid feelings. He hated BC. He hated her for lying to him, for humiliating him, and for making him fall for her. Mostly, he hated that he missed her. He feared that this feeling of heartbreak and loneliness would never go away.

Just as Butch was about to leave he heard a rustle sound from the other side of a tree. Curious, he walked around and immediately regretted it. He turned, hoping she hadn't seen him.

"Butch?" Buttercup called. He picked up the pace, careful not to go too fast. He didn't want to look like he was running away. "Butch, wait." Buttercup followed him.

Butch cursed. Wasn't there anywhere he could go that was Buttercup-free?

"You haven't said a word to me since the dance. At least let me explain."

"Explain what?" Butch asked, enraged. He turned to face her, looming over her and slowing backing her into a tree. "You lied to me. You told me you were a boy. You let me believe I was homosexual. Do you know how crazy I thought I was? How much I had to sacrifice? I convinced my parent's company to invest in a man, rather than a reliable gym because _you_ wanted me to."

Buttercup looked pained. She never meant for that to happen. How was she supposed to know that he would come to like her or that she would like him back?

"And you did all this for what?" Butch continued. "For money. I can't believe my mom was right about you. That's all you poor people want," Butch practically whispered the last part in her ear.  
"And you'll do anything for it." He backed away from her. He no longer felt like speaking to the person he despised most in the world.

"She's wrong," Buttercup said, staring at the ground. "I know what I did was wrong. I should have told you that I was a girl way sooner. Actually, I never should have lied to you in the first place, but it wasn't for the money. It was to help my family."

"That doesn't make what you did alright." Butch had his back to Buttercup now; he didn't want to look at her.

"But maybe it helps you to understand? Please Butch, I need you to understand." Buttercup was on the verge of tears. She was desperate.

"If it's forgiveness you want…"

"It's not." Buttercup interrupted. "Not yet." Buttercup stepped in front of Butch so that he had to look at her. "I need your help."

Butch wasn't sure he had heard correctly. "You want me to help you after what you did to me? Are you serious?"

"Not for me, for Bubbles. This is as much your fault as it is mine. We both just left her outside the dance. She never came home."

"It's been more than a week since the dance."

"I know exactly how long it's been. My family and I have been searching for her since she disappeared. The police came to our house today to announce that they were to begin the search for a body and not a girl." Buttercup looked away from Butch. It was all she could do to stop herself from crying.

Butch wanted to hold her, to tell her it would be ok and that he would help find Bubbles alive. But he just stood there. He couldn't forgive her for what she'd done. She was selfish and dishonest and she wasn't even sorry. "She's _your_ sister, not mine. This is _your_ problem." Butch turned to walk away.

"Please!" Buttercup yelled before he could go. "Please Butch; I don't know what else to do."

He looked at her, the desperation in her eyes and her tiny clenched fists. He noticed she still had the boxing gloves-shaped keychain he had given her. It was attached to the loop on her pants. "Let me see that," he asked Buttercup.

"What?" She looked to where he was pointing. "My keychain?" Buttercup took the key ring off her pants and hesitated. "Be careful, it's important to me." She handed it over, hoping this would get him to help her somehow.

Butch tossed the keychain in the air a few times.

"Careful," Buttercup reminded him as she watched her precious keychain rise and fall in his hands.

"This is it, isn't it? The only thing you have left that proves we were together once."

Buttercup nodded as Butch continued to toy with an item so precious to her.

"I threw mine away the day I left you. It only reminds me of the lies you told, the mistakes you made. Why don't you throw this thing away?"

"It wasn't a mistake to be with you. My feelings for you are real."

"Oh yeah? Prove it," Butch said before hurling the keychain into the pond.

"What are doing?" Buttercup screamed, running to the edge of the freezing cold water. She watched as her beloved keychain sank beneath the murky surface.

Butch crossed his arms. "Why don't you use whatever 'feelings' you have for me to find your keychain. You have two days. If you succeed I'll forgive you. I'll help you find your sister and even give you your job back." He paused, soaking in the look of hope on her face. "Fail, and not only do you lose that keychain, but you lose me forever. Never come within my sight, don't attempt to contact me and get those people to stop protesting outside."

Buttercup began rolling up her sleeves and taking off her shoes. "All I have to do is find it?" She asked, making sure he wouldn't go back on his word.

"Within 72 hours," he added.

Buttercup waded into the water. The pond was dark, but shallow, the deepest part reaching up to her knees. She could do this. She _had_ to do this.

…

"You can't be serious." Blossom said to her father as she watched him cook dinner. "You didn't even ask us." Blossom was outraged. How could he do this to her, especially now?

"I'm doing this for the good of the family. This wasn't an easy decision to make." John concentrated on his cooking. He hated making his girls upset and didn't want Blossom's reaction to change his mind.

"It was the wrong decision." Blossom got up from the table and walked next to her father. She lowered her voice, trying to calm herself down. "How can this be the best for the family if we won't be together? Bubbles is already gone, you can't leave us too."

John looked at his eldest daughter. He saw fear in her eyes. She had already lost so much. She had to grow up fast when she lost her mother so young. And with Bubbles' disappearance, she had lost a sister too. Now he was asking her to give up her father. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying over Bubbles, how could he do this to her? _No,_ he thought. They had less than a month before the bank would take their house. He couldn't allow his girls to live on the street. He couldn't let Bubbles come home to no home. Accepting this fishing job was the only thing he could do to prevent that from happening. Yes he would have to spend most of the time on a fishing boat in the middle of the Atlantic, but his girls would be taken care of. They would get to stay in the house and have a chance at happiness. That was all he wanted for them.

"My decision is final. I know I'll be gone most of the time, but I will always come home to you girls."

Blossom turned on him, practically running to her room. She couldn't be mad at him, she understood his reasons, but it didn't make it any easier. Soon the only person she'd have is Buttercup and she wasn't even home yet.

…

"Why are you still here?" Brick asked Buttercup. She had been searching for the keychain for hours. It was already 3:00am. She could no longer feel her feet, it was cold, dark and she had already developed a runny nose.

"I'm not leaving until I find it. It'll fix everything," Buttercup said while running her hands along the bottom of the pond.

"Butch gave you two days. Go home, get some sleep and come back tomorrow."

"Why do you care what I do?" Buttercup asked. "You didn't seem to care much when I was fired or when Butch refused to talk to me."

"To be honest, I don't care, but Blossom does. She's probably worried sick about you."

"So you're doing this to help her? She hates you, you know."

"I'm working to change that."

Buttercup was about to respond, but was interrupted by a loud alarm coming from inside the gym. "Hold that thought," Brick said, disappearing inside.

Brick was on his way to the security room when he noticed someone struggling with the door. He opened it, finding Blossom.

"Sorry, we don't open until 7."

Brick was the last person she wanted to see, but there was nothing she could do about it now. "I'm looking for my sister Buttercup. Is she here?"

"Hmm, valuable information. What will you give me for it?"

"Please Brick," Blossom said in a worn out voice. "Could you be a decent person for once and just tell me?"

It looked like Blossom hadn't slept in days. She had bags under her eyes and her hair was uncombed.

"She's out back. I'll take you to her."

"Thank you." Blossom followed Brick to the back of the gym. She was relieved to see her sister, although worry washed through her again when she saw what she was doing.

"Buttercup! What are you doing in that water?"

Buttercup looked up to see her sister next to Brick.

"I've lost something important. I have to find it."

"You'll have to find it tomorrow. There's something important I have to tell you." Blossom looked at Brick, not wanting to say too much in front of him.

"This is important," Buttercup insisted.

"So is this." Blossom sighed. "We're getting evicted."

"What!" Buttercup nearly fell into the water. "I thought as long as dad had a job the bank wouldn't evict us."

"Dad got fired yesterday. He didn't show up to work again because he was looking for Bubbles."

"What are we going to do?" Buttercup asked, finally leaving the water.

"Dad has a new job, a fishing job. It means he'll have to be on a ship most the time. We'll hardly ever see him and he leaves as the end of the week."

"Maybe I could help," Brick suggested.

"No one asked you," Blossom said. She gave Buttercup her jacket and started walking towards the door.

"He could work for our company. He wouldn't have to leave home," Brick continued.

"I'd rather he work on the boat," Blossom replied, leaving with her sister.

…

Brick sat at his computer, his cameras trained on Blossom. "When is she going to understand that all I'm trying to do is help her?"

"Good luck with that bro, she's as stubborn as her sister."

"Speaking of Buttercup; are you really planning to forgive her if she finds that keychain?"

"She won't find it," Butch said simply.

"It's a pond, not the ocean. She'll find it eventually."

"She won't."

Brick crossed his arms. "She's not going to give up."

"She'll have no choice after tomorrow."

Brick narrowed his eyes. "How are you so sure she won't find it before then?"

"Because…" Butch held out his palm. "I have it right here."

"Bu…" Brick stammered.

"Before you say anything, it was the only way to make sure she'd leave me alone. It's impossible to forget about her when I see her all the time. I'm never going to forgive her for what she did." He dangled the keychain. "This will help her see that."

Brick paused. "Frankly, I'm impressed, but this isn't like you, Butch. It's more like me honestly."

"Is that a bad thing?" Butch wondered.

Brick turned off his computer screen. "I'm not really sure anymore."

…

"You have to go to school Buttercup," Blossom scolded her sister as she got ready for class.

"Give me a break Blossom, it's just one day. This is more important."

"More important than school?"

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Do I even need to answer that?"

"You've only had three hours of sleep, at least eat something."

"If I promise to eat will you promise not to tell?"

"Fine, don't let me stop you. Just be careful, okay?" Blossom said, relenting and grabbing her bike.

She rode to school slowly. The wind was biting at her face causing her to slow down. She stopped before she got too close to school to put a trash bag over her hair and clothes. Why she hadn't thought of that sooner she'd never know, but since she started doing it, less and less people were throwing garbage at her.

When she got to school she noticed that no one was there with bags of trash. It was her first day going to school completely mess free. She went to the restroom as usual and looked at herself in the mirror. There were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and her hair needed a good brush through, but she was clean. She had ten extra minutes to herself before class, if she could just close her eyes for a second she was sure she'd have enough energy to make it through the rest of the day.

Blossom sat on the floor in the corner of the bathroom. She rested her head on her knees, setting her watch alarm to ten minutes from now.

…

Blossom woke up on a soft silk pillow. She was warm from the thick blanket and soft couch she was lying on. She opened her eyes slowly, trying to remember where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. She shot up when she realized she was missing class.

"Go back to sleep," a familiar voice said from his desk. Blossom was in the observatory, alone with Brick. She looked at her watch. She hadn't been asleep long. She'd only missed ten minutes of class. If she hurried, she wouldn't have to miss more.

She threw off the blanket, immediately regretting it as a chill swept over her. She ignored the feeling, searching the room for her backpack. "How did I get here?" Blossom asked. "Don't tell me you have cameras in the girls' bathroom too."

Brick looked up from his computer, amused. "I was worried when I saw that you had arrived at school and never went to class. One of the girls told me where you were."

"Worried?" Blossom repeated, incredulously.

"Yes, that's what you do when someone you care about goes missing."

Blossom crossed her arms. "Will you stop that? I know you don't care about what happens to me."

"Why do you think I carried you here?"

Blossom's heart jumped. It wasn't a short walk from the girls' bathroom where she fell asleep to the observatory. Brick would have had to walk up two flights of stairs. "Th…that doesn't mean anything. I have to go to class," Blossom stammered, feeling nervous all of a sudden. She walked to the door, but it wouldn't open. "It's locked!"

"I told you to sleep. I already called you out of all your classes for the day."

"For the whole day! I am not spending the next seven hours in here with you."

"I'm not giving you a choice. Use the time to get some rest."

"And if I'm not tired?"

"You're tired and you know it, but if you don't want to sleep we could spend the next seven hours staring at each other. Either way, I'm not letting you out of this room."

"I can't close my eyes if the person I hate most is locked in the room with me."

Brick clenched his jaw, it hurt to hear that. He had just admitted to the girl that he likes her, the least she could do is stop hating him. "It's slow, but I'm getting people to leave you alone. I haven't been going to class because you seem to hate when I'm there and…" Brick sighed out of frustration. "Never mind." He stood up and walked to the door. "If it would help, I'll leave. Just get some sleep." He left, locking the door behind him.

Blossom was alone in the room. She hated that she felt bad for making him leave. "But he doesn't care about me," Blossom said to reassure herself. She thought about the dance and the days since. Brick had been the one to pull her from the pool. And if she was honest with herself, he was probably the one who took her home when she fell asleep waiting for Boomer to show up. She'd noticed that less and less people were picking on her, but she had assumed it was because they were bored of it. Brick must have been telling the truth, but why now? Why would he all of a sudden start to care about her after all he's put her through?

…

Brick stomped down the hallway toward the gym. He'd usually go to the observatory when he felt this way, but Blossom was in there. He bumped into a girl who had been carrying a few books, pushing her to the floor. He didn't stop to help or apologize. Being nice was something he was trying to do for Blossom and she could care less.

"Brick! You get back here and help me."

Brick hadn't realized the girl he bumped into was Princess. He went back, helping her gather her things. As he looked at her he formed an idea. He knew how to rid himself of these ridiculous feelings for Blossom. He would focus on Princess. She was the better choice after all, the kind of girl he was supposed to like.

Brick stood up with Princess' books in his hands. She tried to take them, but Brick wouldn't let go. Princess looked up at him quizzically and he kissed her. She was so shocked; she backed up into the row of lockers behind her. "Wa…wait I wasn't ready."

"Then get ready," Brick said, walking towards her. "Because I'm going to do it again."

Princess took a breath and closed her eyes, her heart beating wildly. Brick leaned in and kissed her, longer and deeper this time, but again he felt nothing. "I can't do this," he whispered to Princess when he pulled away.

"What are you talking about? You just kissed me."

"I know, but I didn't feel anything," Brick whispered again. "We can't date anymore," Brick said a bit louder for the small crowd that had formed.

Princess stood there in shock. When he hadn't broken up with her right after the dance she thought that maybe he had changed his mind. Instead he waited until the worst possible time. Everyone was watching him break up with her. Right after he kissed her for the first time. It was her first kiss ever. Princess had no idea how to feel.

Brick looked at her a second longer before turning and walking away. "I hate you Brick Jojo!" Princess shouted after him.

"You're not the only one," Brick mumbled as he continued his walk.

…

Brick bounced a tennis ball at a wall. The effects were very calming.

"How could you do that to her?"

"I don't need a lecture," Brick said to Elmer.

"You stole her first kiss then you just break up with her. Have you no heart?" Elmer asked angrily.

"It wasn't her first kiss, was it?" Brick raised a brow at Elmer.

Elmer looked at him in shock. How could Brick possibly know? "Wh…whether it was or not, you didn't have to do it in front of everyone. Princess has a lot of pride. You could…"

"She doesn't really like me anyway," Brick interrupted.

"I know you both were only pretending to date, but she actually liked you."

Brick continued to bounce the ball. "She'll be much happier when she gets her present."

"What present?"

"Your dad and hers used to be close."

"They were best friends, until they got into a fight. That was years ago. Why bring that up?"

"It took a while, but I finally got them together. They forgave each other." Brick laughed. "Hell, they didn't even remember what they were so mad about."

"That means…" Elmer trailed off. "I have to find her." Elmer turned to leave. "You're not so bad, Jojo."

"You're welcome," Brick said as the blonde boy ran off.

…

Princess didn't go to her next class. She was too embarrassed to show her face. Elmer found her by the pool. Even though it was an indoor pool, no one really used it during the winter.

"I saw what happened out there," Elmer said softly, sitting next to her.

"You and the entire school. I hate Brick. I hate him." Princess buried her head in her knees.

"He's not so bad."

Princess looked sharply at Elmer. "You saw what he did out there. He stole my first kiss."

"It wasn't your first kiss."

"Of course it was!"

"I kissed you way before that," Elmer said, shocking himself.

"What?"

"It was when we were little and I used to come to your house everyday with my dad. You were sleeping and I had just seen Sleeping Beauty…" Elmer blushed a bright red at the memory. "You didn't even wake up," he laughed.

"Good thing. I would have slapped you," Princess laughed back.

"Would have been worth it."

Princess smiled, placing her hand on top of Elmer's. Elmer moved his hand, choosing to lace their fingers together. They sat for a moment, enjoying each other's company.

"Our dads are friends again," Elmer said after a while.

"How'd that happen?" Princess said in disbelief.

"Brick set it up."

"Do you think he knew how we felt about each other?"

"I get the feeling there's not a lot Brick doesn't know."

"So what about Blossom?" Princess asked. Now that they were free to be together, wouldn't she present a problem?

"I feel bad that I lied to her about being a scholarship student. I like and respect her, but I don't love her. I'm not sure if that would have changed."

…

Blossom couldn't sleep. She walked over to Brick's monitors, searching for something to do. She looked at the screen to see Brick in the gym. He was bouncing a tennis ball against the wall. He looked frustrated. The speed at which he was throwing the ball made her wonder how he could keep up, and how the ball could stay together. Brick took of his cap to wipe his brow. Blossom turned off the screen. Even if what Brick said was true, she didn't feel the same way. She refused to watch him get all sweaty in front of her.

Blossom turned her head when she heard the door rattle. She turned the screen back on and jumped on the couch. How could he get up there so fast? She didn't want him to catch her poking around.

Butch walked in and was about to plop on the couch when he noticed her sitting there.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. "Where's Brick?"

"He's in the gym," Blossom answered, forgetting that she really shouldn't know that if she hadn't been watching the monitors.

"You didn't answer my first question," Butch said, walking over to the fridge and grabbing a drink before sitting next to her.

Blossom motioned to the blanket. "I'm supposed to be sleeping."

"Then why aren't you?"

"I can't sleep when I'm supposed to be in class."

"Then go to class," Butch said simply. "I didn't lock the door."

Blossom looked at the door. He was right, it was open. She grabbed her bag.

"I mean, who cares that he carried you all the way here and that he left his favorite place just so you'd be comfortable," Butch said, taking a sip of his drink. Blossom paused, rethinking her decision. "Sure he'll be hurt, but what do you care? Your classes are more important than his feelings."

Blossom dropped her bag. "It's not like that. I appreciate his efforts, but he didn't even ask me. I didn't come all the way to school to sleep the whole day."

"Then sleep for an hour. You can at least do that."

Blossom sighed, sliding next to Butch. Almost as soon as she closed her eyes she was asleep. She wouldn't have made it through ten minutes in class, Butch thought.

It was almost time for third period to start when Brick rushed into the room. "The door's unlocked. Where's Blossom?" he said, seeing Butch's head on the couch.

"Relax, she's sleeping right here."

Brick walked around to the front of the couch to see Blossom fast asleep. "Was she like that when you got here?" Brick asked, walking over to his desk.

"No, it took a bit of convincing, but she finally went to sleep."

"Wow, even _you're_ better at talking to her than I am…No offence."

Butch shrugged. He watched as his brother pushed around some figurines on his desk. He knew if Blossom hadn't been sleeping he'd be dropping them to the floor. He always broke things when he was frustrated.

"She doesn't hate you, you know."

"That's not what she said."

"If she really hated you, she would have left when I gave her the chance."

"You were going to let her leave?" Brick asked, glaring angrily at Butch.

"She decided to stay because she wanted to. You can't force her to do anything, especially when it comes to liking you. You have to give her a choice."

"If given the choice, she'll choose Boomer or Elmer, anyone but me. I can't give her a choice."

"Then she'll never like you," Butch said, leaving the two of them alone.

* * *

**A/N**: Is Blossom warming up to Brick? We'll see next chapter. Leave a review.


	2. I Once was Lost

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews everyone! I'm sure it goes without saying, but they really mean a lot.

* * *

It was hours before Blossom opened her eyes. Butch was gone and all was silent save for the soft typing coming from Brick's desk. Brick hadn't noticed her wake up, too absorbed in his project.

"What are you working on?" Blossom asked, simply curious.

"You slept through lunch," Brick replied, ignoring her question. "I left some food on the table for you."

Blossom looked next to her to see a warm pink crape sitting there. It looked just like the ones Bubbles used to make for her. It was even pink. Bubbles would add strawberries to the batter to get it this color just for her, something she thought no one else did. Despite her every instinct telling her not to, she bit into the delicious looking meal. To her shock, it tasted exactly like her lost sister's crapes.

"Where did you get this?" Blossom asked with her mouth full.

Brick looked at her. "Do you like it? The school chefs are geniuses."

"It tastes just like the ones Bubbles' used to make."

"You really miss her, don't you?"

Blossom put down her crape, thinking of her youngest sister. "I think about her all the time. You must feel the same way about Boomer."

"It's different. I know where Boomer is."

"You do? Where is he?" Blossom rushed the words. She had tried to be subtle, but she hadn't heard anything about Boomer since she had last seen him at the dance. She had wanted to know so badly what had happened to him, but refused to voluntarily speak to Brick and Butch wasn't any more approachable.

Brick noticed the concern in her voice. He had hoped Boomer's disappearance would lessen Blossom's feelings for him, however it was obvious it hadn't. He toyed with the idea of telling her nothing at all, but decided against it. "He's out of town," was his only response.

"So you've spoken to him then? He's ok?" Blossom asked, relieved.

"Yes, he's fine," Brick said, getting annoyed.

"Good." Blossom went back to eating her crape. "Um, Brick?" She said after a while. It was uncharacteristically meager of her.

"What is it?" Brick asked, although it was pretty obvious what _it_ was.

"Boomer didn't…uh…Did Boomer say anything about me? Or uh…tell you to tell me anything?" Blossom knew Brick wasn't too fond of her and Boomer's affection for each other, but she had to ask.

"No," Brick replied quickly.

"Oh." Blossom looked down in disappointment.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about your sister?"

Blossom flushed with anger. How dare he question her concern for Bubbles? "Every moment I'm not in school or sleeping, I'm looking for her."

"It's been eleven days since the dance. Why haven't you found her yet? She could be in China by now for all you know."

Blossom rose to her feet, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She had asked herself that very question every day since the day Bubbles went missing. "I'm doing everything I can. I don't know where else to look."

"It's not enough. If you don't find her soon, it may be too late."

Blossom quickly wiped away a few stray tears. "Don't you think I know that? Why rub salt in my wounds? Every time I think your being nice, you ruin it." Blossom bit her lip, trying to stop the tears.

Brick sighed. "That's not what I'm trying to do." He got out of his chair and walked toward Blossom.

"Don't come near me!" She shouted, backing towards the door.

"You're acting this way because you know I'm right. I can help you," Brick said, still walking toward her.

"Help me how?"

"I'll find her for you. I can do it before your father leaves. I know it's important to you."

He was right. She would do anything to find Bubbles before their father left on that fishing boat. Hope sparked momentarily in Blossom. She just wasn't sure if she could trust him. "You really want to help me?" Blossom asked, incredulously.

She allowed him to walk up to her. "There is one condition," Brick said.

Blossom crossed her arms. "I knew it. I'm not dropping out of this school. It would crush Bubbles."

"That's not it," Brick said, moving even closer to Blossom.

"I don't have anything to give you," Blossom stammered. She was growing more and more unsettled from the piercing look in his eye.

"There is one thing you have that I want." Brick gently placed a loose piece of hair behind Blossom's ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Wha…what is it?" Blossom asked after a long silence. Brick was staring so intensely at her, goose bumps were slowly making their way up her arm.

"I want you to be my girlfriend."

…

Buttercup shivered in the cold water. She had searched the entire pond four times already, making slow sweeps back and forth. Her keychain was nowhere to be found. She sat on the edge of the pond, taking her feet out of the water. They were numb from the knee down.

"Maybe it wasn't even my keychain," Buttercup wondered out loud. The water was murky. It could just as easily have been a quarter or a small rock. She sighed, searching for a watch in her school bag. It was almost 3:00pm. Classes would be over soon and Blossom would surely throw a fit if she kept searching the whole night. She needed to find this keychain before either her 72 hours were up, Blossom tells her dad or her toes freeze off.

…

"What did you just say?" Blossom asked slowly, sure she misheard him.

"I said I want you to be my girlfriend," Brick repeated, slower this time.

"What kind of game is this? We hate each other and Boomer and I are practically dating."

"But you're not. Are you going to let a guy who could care less about you come between you and finding your sister?"

"Boomer cares about me," Blossom defended.

"He hasn't even tried to contact you since he's been gone."

"Even if that is true, it doesn't change the fact that I don't like you."

Brick frowned. There had to be some part of her that liked him, even if it was just a little. "Complete strangers get married all the time. I'm just asking you to be my girlfriend. You don't have to like me right away. It's a small price to pay for your little sister's safety."

"Let's get this straight. I am _never_ going to like you, but…" Blossom couldn't believe how far her desperation had pushed her. "If you can find Bubbles before my father leaves in three days, then you have a deal."

Brick wanted to hug Blossom, fist pump, and jump in the air at the same time; instead he simply smirked and went back to his desk. "The door is open. You should go; it seems I have work to do."

Blossom picked up her bag and left, wondering what in the world she had gotten herself into.

…

Buttercup stumbled through the water. As time went on she was getting clumsier. It was probably due to the lack of feeling in her feet.

"Buttercup, I can't believe you're still in there."

BC looked up to see her red headed sister with a steaming bowl of food in her hands.

"What are you doing here?" She asked Blossom.

"Get out of that water and have some soup before you turn into an icicle," Blossom scolded.

Buttercup was about to protest, but maybe Blossom was right. She was hungry, tired and starting to doubt she'd ever find her keychain.

Buttercup took the bowl from Blossom. It was hot tomato basil soup. She didn't even wait for the soup to cool down before chugging half the bowl.

"Still haven't found it?"

Buttercup took a breath between gulps. "I'm starting to think some fish swallowed the damn thing."

"You can stop looking. I got Brick to help me look for Bubbles."

"How'd you do that?" Buttercup asked. She found it hard to believe Brick would help her simply out of the kindness of his heart, even if he did have a crush on her.

"I sorta promised him I'd be his girlfriend."

"What!?" Buttercup exclaimed, nearly dropping her bowl of soup. "You don't even like him."

"Tell me about it, but if he can find Bubbles before dad gets on that fishing boat, it'll be worth it."

…

Bubbles closed her drawing pad after completing another portrait. Most of them were of Boomer, some of them were of her captor and the rest were her sisters and father. She missed them terribly.

"Can I see it?" Boomer asked.

He was locked in the room with Bubbles. They were connected to the same chain that ran along the floor and was attached to the wall. If she walked toward Boomer his chain would pull him toward the wall. It was impossible for them to get near each other.

Bubbles didn't answer Boomer. She hadn't said a word to him since her first interrogation. Her captor had been straightforward. It was her fault Boomer was here. She talked too much, he told her. He didn't want her to say another word unless it was answering the one question he asked her every day; what was her connection to Mrs. Jojo?

Bubbles didn't know the answer. Besides fake-dating her son, there was no other connection. Although she tried to explain this to her captor, he would ask the same question every day and every day she was forced to remain silent, unable to answer the question.

Boomer crossed his arms and sighed. "Say something, anything," he pleaded with Bubbles. He had spent nearly two weeks trying to get Bubbles to talk. She wouldn't tell him where their captor kept taking her, or why she wouldn't speak. He even asked her to draw it, but she barely even acknowledged his existence. He missed her voice, the most angelic voice he had ever heard. He missed her smile and her laugh. She was so close, yet she had never felt further away.

Boomer was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of the door slowly opening. Their captor was late; he normally comes for Bubbles in the afternoon. Boomer was about to tell him this when he saw a different person walk through the door.

…

Buttercup was starting to regret asking Blossom to go home. Her auburn-haired sister had put up quite a fight, but relented when Buttercup brought up their dad and how he was probably waiting for her. BC waded through the water, no longer able to feel the cold. She had stopped shivering a while ago, but was starting to feel lonely.

_I must be getting used to the cold,_ Buttercup thought as she glided her hand along the bottom of the pond. The sun was just starting to set and already Buttercup could barely keep her eyes open. _Just a little longer._ She promised Blossom she would go home tonight, but she felt like she was so close.

Buttercup sat in the water, too tired to stand. She never stopped searching, her hands continuously feeling the bottom of the pond. She finally closed her eyes, no longer able to keep them open.

…

Butch walked through the sliding glass doors leading to the pond. Brick had told him at school that Buttercup was still out here, but he had to see for himself. Could she really still be searching for the keychain? She should have given up by now.

He looked out at the water, but saw no one. _I knew it,_ he thought. Butch turned around, about to walk back when he spotted BC's backpack and shoes. She was still here. Butch scanned the surface of the water before his eyes rested on a human-shaped lump in the pond.

"Buttercup," Butch yelled to her, but she didn't move.

"Buttercup!" he yelled a bit more frantically. Still no motion.

_The little idiot, what was she thinking? _Butch kicked off his shoes and ran as best he could through the freezing cold water. He wouldn't have lasted in this cold for more than ten minutes, how could she spend the whole day in this?

When he reached Buttercup, her lips where blue, her breathing faint and she was freezing cold to the touch. He carried her like he had the first day he met her, except this time he held her close. He hadn't meant for this to happen, yet he probably should have known.

When he got out of the water he quickly dialed an ambulance. "I'm so sorry," Butch repeated to the unconscious Buttercup. He brought her to the front of the building, forgetting that there were protesters acting on Buttercup's behalf.

"What's wrong with BC?" one of the girls asked.

"He needs to get to the hospital," Butch replied. He knew it wasn't an explanation, but luckily it was enough. The girls gave him room enough to quickly run to the ambulance that just arrived.

…

"Brick?!" Boomer said in a mix of surprise and relief.

"Shh, do you want the guards to hear you?" Brick whispered harshly.

"How did you find us?" Boomer asked, quieter this time.

"There will be time to explain later," Brick quickly went to Bubbles chain and unlocked her foot with a key. "Before we leave I need to do one thing." Brick brought out a pair of scissors. "Your hair is too obvious, it needs to go."

Bubbles opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Confused, she tried again, but still no sound, not even a squeak. Her complete silence for the last few days must have caused her to lose her voice. Instead, Bubbles shook her head violently. It had taken her years to get her hair all the way down her back. It was finally comparable to Blossom's. There was no way she was going to let him cut it. It didn't seem like Brick understood; he kept moving closer and closer to Bubbles with the scissors.

"She doesn't want you to cut her hair. Isn't there some other way you could disguise her." Boomer said, coming to her rescue.

"None that I could do right now." Brick paused for a second. "There is another way." Brick waited for a response.

"What is it?" Boomer said, agitated that he had to even ask.

"All the guy wants to know is how Bubbles is connected to our mom. Once she tells us we can all go home."

"How do you know this?" Boomer asked his brother.

"The answer to that question isn't going to help us get out of here." Brick turned to Bubbles. "Do you know anything at all?"

Bubbles shook her head and buried her face in her hands. Boomer realized that this must be what their captor was asking her every time he took her away.

"She doesn't know," Boomer told Brick.

"Are you sure?" Brick tried again. "I won't have to cut off your hair if you tell me."

"You're not going to cut off her hair regardless." Boomer said, no longer caring if the guards heard him.

"What are you going to do about it? You're still chained to the wall remember?"

Boomer looked at his foot still shackled to the chain. "That's right. Why didn't you unchain me when you did Bubbles?" he asked, a bit surprised he realized so late.

"I don't have the key to yours. I only came for Bubbles," Brick said as if it were obvious.

"What!" Boomer walked toward Brick, but his chain stopped him from getting too close. "Why would you rescue only one of us? And why Bubbles and not your own brother?"

Brick sighed. "I don't have time for these explanations. The facts are, I'm here, I have one key and that key only opens Bubbles chains."

"You haven't even tried to open mine," Boomer said.

He had a point. Brick tossed him the key then turned to Bubbles. Bubbles quickly grabbed her hair and shook her head, backing up against the wall.

"I have to do it," Brick said. He grabbed her hair while Boomer fumbled with the key.

"_Please,"_ Bubbles mouthed.

"You've given me no choice." Brick used his scissors to cut off one of Bubbles pigtails. Bubbles silently cried as she watched her hair fall limp into her hand.

Boomer gave up on the key and looked up in time to see Bubbles crying at the loss of her hair. "You bastard, you didn't have to do it." Boomer yelled.

"Shut up," Brick hissed. "They'll hear…"

"What's going on in here?" A guard interrupted Brick. He had obviously heard the commotion and came rushing inside.

Boomer froze, unable to say anything.

"Where is Bubbles, and who are you two?" The guard asked Brick and Bubbles.

Bubbles slapped her forehead. Did he really not recognize her with short hair? Brick answered for them. "My girlfriend and I wondered in here by accident." He held Bubbles hand as if to prove it.

"Well you're not supposed to be in here. Get out."

Boomer watched as Brick and Bubbles were thrown out the room, unable to believe what just happened.

…

Bubbles looked out the window of Brick's red convertible. She was silent as they drove, not by choice. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Why had he rescued her and not his brother? How did he get inside the building? How did he know where they were in the first place? But the question burning on her mind the most, where were they going?

They had past any turns that would have taken them back to her house. She looked at Brick, confused. She pointed to the next turn. When he didn't take it, she shook her head and pointed again, more urgently this time.

"I'm not taking you home," Brick finally said. "I promised I'd return you safe and sound. I'm taking you to the hospital so we can fix that voice of yours."

Bubbles was frustrated. She didn't care that she couldn't talk. She preferred to see her family first, but Brick seemed determined to take her to the hospital.

They arrived quickly. Before they got out of the car Brick placed his hat on Bubbles. He pulled the brim low, just above her eyes. "Keep your head down," he instructed.

They went to the front desk. Brick explained who he was and they immediately led Bubbles to a room. Brick stayed behind in the waiting area, having spotted someone he knew.

"What are you doing here?" Brick asked his dark-haired brother.

"They won't let me see her."

"What's Buttercup gotten herself into now?" Brick asked. He knew there was no other reason Butch would be waiting for someone.

"I found her passed out in the pond."

Brick sat down next to his brother. "She was still looking for that keychain?"

"I feel bad enough without you rubbing it in." Butch looked away from his brother to stare at the door that led where the patients stayed. Buttercup was in one of those rooms, probably hooked up to some machine and it was all his fault. "What are you doing here anyway?" Butch turned back to his brother.

"Looking for you," Brick lied. "Mom was wondering where you went?"

Butch looked at him, confused. "Mom never wonders where I am."

"That's because she usually knows."

Butch was about to reply when a nurse walked up to them. "Mr. Jojo?"

"Yes?" Both brothers responded. Brick cursed under his breath. If this was about Bubbles his lies were about to be revealed.

"Buttercup is still unconscious, but she's stable. Would you like to see her?"

Butch stood up to go with the nurse. "Cover for me bro," he said before leaving.

Brick walked over to the front desk, happy it hadn't been about Bubbles. He dropped his business card and a hundred dollar bill on the counter. "Contact me directly when Bubbles is cleared to leave. Do not allow her to see, contact, or leave with anyone but me. Understand?"

The young woman looked confused. Brick rolled his eyes and dropped an extra fifty dollars. The woman took it and smiled. "Understood."

…

Butch sat beside Buttercup with the keychain in his hand. He had never seen her look so weak. The first time he had brought her here she was beaten, but not weak. What was it about hospitals that made a person look so close to death?

He looked down at the keychain. He should have never bought the damn thing in the first place. He placed the keychain in her hand and pressed his head to her shoulder, silently wishing for her to wake up.

"What time is it?" He heard a weak voice whisper. Butch quickly looked up. Buttercup hadn't opened her eyes, but he was certain it was her voice. "The time?" she asked again, impatiently frowning.

Butch looked at his phone. "It's after nine. You've been out for more than six hours."

Buttercup slowly opened her eyes and smiled. "I found it in time," she said, holding the keychain tightly in her hand. "I must have found it in my sleep."

Butch grabbed her by her shoulders. "You could have died and you're still talking about that keychain?" He hugged her tightly, warming Buttercup from the inside out.

She felt tired and weak, but tried her best to hug him back. Her tiny squeeze stirred something in Butch's heart. "I'm sorry Buttercup," Butch whispered into her neck. She bit her lip realizing this was the first time he had called her by her real name.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," Buttercup whispered back, releasing Butch from the hug.

"I never threw the keychain into the water."

Anger sparked inside Buttercup. All that searching in the pond, the biting pain of the freezing cold water threatening to put her in an early grave and it wasn't even there in the first place? She breathed deeply for a moment, allowing herself to calm down. She had put Butch through more, she realized. "It's ok, I deserved it."

"No you didn't," Butch said, placing his hand over hers. "You felt like you had no choice. I lied to you to hurt you. I was a jerk and I'm sorry for that."

"Butch." Buttercup leaned in to kiss him, but he pulled away.

"Wait," Butch interrupted. "I'm not done." He stood up and backed away from the hospital bed. "As promised, I forgive you for lying to me, you can return to work tomorrow and I'll do my best to find your sister, but that doesn't mean things will go back to the way they were."

…

Brick sat in his mother's office, waiting for her to arrive. He hadn't called ahead so she wasn't expecting him. When she arrived, she immediately walked to her desk and sat down, treating Brick more like a client then a son.

"I assume this was too important to wait until I got home."

Before Brick said anything he made sure to walk to every camera in the room and turn them off one by one. It didn't take his mother long to realize what he was doing.

"What is this about?" she asked as Brick locked the door and returned to his seat.

"You remember Bubbles, don't you?"

Pricilla stiffened for a moment, before relaxing. She hoped Brick hadn't caught it, but he had.

"I remember she dated Boomer for a time. What about her?" Pricilla said slowly. She crossed her legs, uncomfortable with this topic.

"She's been kidnapped." Brick stated, watching for her reaction.

"If you're implying that I had something to do with her disappearance, then you're wrong." Pricilla's blank expression turned into a smug one.

"I know you didn't take her." Brick said calmly. "Because I did."


End file.
